Mushroom Barley Risotto

I love risotto. Like, love risotto. The sausage and mushroom risotto that I have been making for years is one of my very favorite splurges. I love how tender and creamy the arborio rice gets, how hearty the dish is, and how all of the complementing flavors meld together so well. I tend not to make it very often because I usually don’t eat white rice, nor do I eat Italian sausage regularly (both are definitely a treat!). So while I was surfing through some blogs and ran across this risotto recipe that uses barley in place of arborio rice, I knew immediately that it would jive perfectly with my new plan to eat more grains and vegetables. Woo!

This takes just as long to make as regular risotto, but it is just as delicious and totally worth the waiting and the stirring. The barley has a bit chewier of a texture than the arb

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes.

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2. Add the mushrooms and saute until they have released all of their liquid and are golden brown, about 10 minutes. You can add 1 to 3 tablespoons of water if they start to stick.

3. Stir in the herbs and garlic, then add the barley and stir to coat for 1 minute. Add 4 cups of the broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

4. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Reduce the heat to medium and add more broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed, until the barley is tender but still slightly firm. You may not use all of the broth, but you will use most of it.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and cheese, stirring until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

29 comments on “Mushroom Barley Risotto”

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I made this over the weekend for picky family members and they all loved it. It was so so so very delicious! I actually cut the amount of onion in half and scratched the garlic completely (not our thang) which usually makes a recipe bland but this was still fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing!

For the first time in YEARS a recipe with mushrooms has actually caught my attention. I ate a mushroom last Saturday for the first time in oh…I can’t even say and then I ate another and another. Taste buds change and somehow dishes like this all of a sudden look so great.

Glad you posted this as barley is such a wonderful and healthy option for making risotto. I have actually made risotto plenty of times but never once using arborio rice. I’ve eaten it plenty of times with the rice and do love it but I find when I make it, I just prefer the barley. The health difference is so great and I, honestly, can’t taste a difference.

Another idea when making risotto is to use farro (or spelt). I made a pea and mint risotto this past weekend using farro for the first time and it was awesome! It takes the same amount of time and you don’t even have to change anything around which is another reason why I like using it.